1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to guides for printed circuit boards. More specifically, the present invention is directed to guides for guiding printed circuit boards into edge connectors and for protecting the edge connector during the absence of a printed circuit board.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to provide a printed circuit board guide for guiding a printed circuit board to introduce an electrical connection edge of the board into an electrical edge connector. Such guides usually comprise a pair of grooved members arranged perpendicularly to the edge connector and positioned at respective ends of the edge connector with the grooved sides facing the edge connector. A typical prior art printed circuit board guide is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,580 of F. V. Fricker, Jr. and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In such prior art guides, to insert a printed circuit board connection edge into the edge connector, the longitudinal edges of the printed circuit board are inserted into respective grooves of the two associated guides. Subsequent motion of the printed circuit board along the guides is effective to guide the board connection edge into the edge connector. While such prior art guides afford a means for guiding a printed circuit board connection edge into the edge connector, they do not afford a means for protecting the edge connector when the printed circuit board is not present in the edge connector. Thus, the edge connector is open to the accumulation of debris and/or the damage of the electrical connectors in the edge connector by the entry of undesired objects. Further, the height of the fixed guides in the prior art fixes the vertical space required by the associated equipment which prevents the equipment from assuming a minimal storage size during the absence of the printed circuit boards. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a printed circuit board guide for guiding a printed circuit board into an edge connector while also affording a means for protecting the edge connector and reducing the height of the board guide during the absence of a printed circuit board therein.